Areas of Practice:
- Neurodivergent (ASD/AuDHD/ADHD)
- Men’s Issues
- Sexual Therapy
- Relationships Issues
- Anxiety and Stress
- Depression
- Trauma/PTSD
- And more…
Availability:
Mat is currently accepting new clients.
Mat Degrave, MA
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
As a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), I endeavour to provide a welcoming and safe space for clients where they can explore their personal experience. My therapeutic approach is holistic and individualized, where I focus on integrating different modalities and techniques to best meet the unique needs and goals of each client. I focus on creating a safe, validating, and supportive environment where my clients can explore their feelings, thoughts and experiences in order to develop new insights and skills to improve their well-being.
A concept that very much guides my work, is that ‘we learn what we live’. When we encounter a new life event and we experience something new, these experiences can sometimes challenge our understanding of our self and our understanding of the world. In these moments, we might struggle to have the tools to express these new learnings. This understanding can be stored in the body through various ways—intellectually (cognitive), behaviourally, somatically (through the body), and even intuitively. By taking a holistic approach, I invite clients to explore and share these feelings in a space of curiousity and acceptance. I endeavour to accommodate the ways that our body internalizes and expresses itself by taking a holistic approach that recognizes these various ways of understanding.
Associations/Education:
Registered Psychotherapist, Qualifying (CRPO)
Master of Arts Counselling and Spirituality Concentration in Couple and Family Counselling
Average Cost
$130 +HST per session – sliding scale available
What are personal qualities are important for the job that you do?
Perspicacity
Curiosity
Authenticity
Empathy
What is your personal mantra or favourite quote?
“A quote may spark a flame, but it is the person who tends the fire”
“Heal so that you can hear what is being said without the filter of your own wound”
Therapeutic Approaches in my Counselling
- CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
- Mindfulness
- DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy)
- Insight-Oriented Thearpy
- Solution Focused Therapy
- Strength-Based Therapy
Experience
- 2 years clinical experience at Saint-Paul University.
Professional Associations
- Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO) License #16030
Education
- Master of Arts Counselling and Spirituality Concentration in Couple and Family Counselling —
Saint-Paul University, 2023 - Honours Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations and Spirituality — 2020
- Diplôme d’études collégiales (DEC) in Social Sciences with Mathematics Concentration
Professional Development
- ADHD in Practice
- AEDP for Trauma and Attachment wounds
- Trauma and the Body: Dance/Movement Therapy within Trauma Informed Care
Are you curious about Mat?
What made you decide to choose your role as a therapist?
My decision to become a therapist was very much a result of a combination of factors: my curiosity towards understanding the human experience, along with the gratification I experienced from journeying with others on their path towards self-discovery. I have been blessed throughout this process, as I have learned from a great deal of peers, teachers, and clients who have each shared a unique perspective on what it is to be human.
What is your favourite place to find inspiration?
My favourite place to find inspiration is often found through meditative introspection, journalling / writing, nature, play, as well as architecture.
What are the top 3 things you do to keep healthy?
The three things I do to keep healthy involves trying to move my body in some form or another at least once a day. When possible, I also try to find a way to play in any capacity, whether it be through a formalized game, through socializing, and/or through movement. Finally, trying to learn something new every day has helped me practice perspective-shifting, as well as help encourage the feeling that I am growing every day.
What are some of your favourite things to do?
Some of my favourite things to do involves non-fictional reading as well as meditative writing. As well, I try to schedule time to get together with friends to play games—preferably Tabletop Role-Playing Games when scheduling permits.
What do you value most in a client?
I value openness and curiousity in clients, since therapy can be a process that involves both new experiences as well as the potential to engage with new perspectives. Therapy can involve a lot of nascence, and I value a client’s willingness to engage in this vulnerability in session.
Why would a potential client come to Kindred Hope?
Kindred Hope offers an environment that is informed of various perspectives and walks of life. It is my endeavour that I can provide an environment where a client feels free to express and explore the language of their own understanding.
What are you biggest interests that show a bit about you?
Since I was a teenager, my interests started to develop around topics like philosophy and psychology. As well, I have carried with me a particular interest in the psychology of play—game design, game theory, as well as how games can enhance self-discovery as well as social connection. Lastly, my interests in music has helped provided me with ways to meditate, dance, and unwind throughout the day, which have tended around all sorts of electronic music—dance music, down & midtempo, as well as more experimental genres.
